1948 Israel — One Problem Solved, Another Emerges
Wherever there is a power vacuum, it doesn’t take long for thugs to move-in. In the months leading-up to the British withdrawal of Palestine, violence started breaking out. First it was the Arabs, who accurately expected an attempted Zionist takeover of their land. Armed militias began attacking Jewish cities and attempted to set up a blockade between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The Zionists had been preparing for years; going underground to illegally manufacture guns and bombs, and to train soldiers. They were financed by wealthy and sympathetic Jews from around the world. Many of the new immigrants were hardened soldiers. They were angry; well-armed; self-righteous and determined to drive out the Arabs. Palestine was a powder keg waiting to explode!
Their first assault is known today as the Deir Yassin Massacre. Deir Yassin was a peaceful Arab village outside of Jerusalem. Unfortunately for the villagers, it was along the route that was under Arab blockade. They were expecting trouble and kept a watchful eye for the Jewish military. It happened at 4:30 in the morning on April 9, 1948, approximately a month before the British departure. When the Jewish Militia was spotted, the villagers took up arms to defend their homes. The stiff resistance was unexpected and a fierce fire-fight ensued. The militia went house to house throwing grenades and shooting everyone in sight, heavy artillery was brought in, flattening much of the village. Men, women, children and the elderly were slaughtered; many having already surrendered. Some were tortured and some were paraded through the streets of Jerusalem. One woman eight months pregnant was shot and killed at short range. The Red Cross reported over 200 deaths. Before leaving, the militia looted and stripped anything of value from the homes, businesses and dead bodies.
As the news spread, Arabs throughout Palestine fled for their lives, abandoning their homes and property, hopeful that someday they would return to their country. Shortly after the British departure, the neighboring Arab countries of Egypt, Syria and Jordan attacked the new Jewish nation in what is best described as a blatant land grab, each hoping to defeat Israel and thereafter carve up the country to expand their own borders. Those Palestinians still clinging to their homes were warned to leave.
The Arab world calls the ensuing Palestinian exodus, the Nakba (catastrophe). More than 700,000 Arab-Palestinians fled their homes, becoming permanent refugees. No other country would accept them and for the past seven decades they have never been allowed to return home; their land confiscated and resettled by Jews from around the world. Very few remained in Palestine and those that did were simply absorbed, as a minority, into the new State of Israel, which could now call itself both a democracy and a homeland for the Jews. They went from owning 8% of Palestine to owning 100%, plus the additional territories that it gained from defeating neighboring countries.
From a rational perspective, this was always intended to be a war of conquest: the ethnic cleansing of an unwanted Arab majority. It was never a Civil War or a War of Independence. The invading Jews were displaced Europeans and in spite of their terrible plight, had no moral or legal justification to invade a peaceful country, with no organized military; and then expel its citizens forever, simply stealing their land and property.
It’s interesting that the founders of Israel were originally far left leaning, Central European, Worker Party socialists, with roots in Marxist philosophy. Up until 1977 all Israeli Prime Ministers were associated with the Mapai (Workers Party of the Land of Israel), or its later incarnation, the Israeli Labor Party. Even today, by U.S. standards Israel is a very left leaning socialist driven country. Its banks and major industries (159 Israeli businesses) are nationalized; heavy government subsidies are paid to Jewish immigrants and certain religious groups. The vast majority of land in Israel is owned by the government, only 6.5% is owned by its citizens. Most real estate in Israel is simply leased from the government. This allows Israel the right to evict and relocate anyone or any group it chooses.
After the 1948 war, Israel’s relations with its neighbors continued to be contentious. In 1967, Israel invaded Egypt; (its second war of conquest) destroyed its air force and drove its army from Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula taking control of both territories, though later the U.S. pressured (actually paid) Israel to give back the Sinai. Egypt called on Jordan and Syria for help; Israel responded by easily defeating both countries and pushed Israel’s territory to the Jordan River (absorbing what is now the West Bank) including Jerusalem. 300,000 Palestinians fled the West Bank. The Israeli military pushed north, defeating the Syrians and taking control of the Golan Heights, 100,000 Syrians fled. In six days, Israel took permanent control of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights, creating about 400,000 new refugees. Israel began building Jewish Settlements and today there are about 18,000 Jews living in the Golan Heights and half a million living in the West Bank.
President Assad of Syria retaliated against Israel by supporting Hezbollah and Hamas. He later agreed to terminate support of these groups and make peace with Israel in exchange for the Golan Heights. Israel walked away from the negotiations and later annexed the territory, though the U.N. has never recognized its legitimacy. This was land critical to Israel’s water supply. By controlling the Golan Heights, they also controlled the headwaters of the Jordan River.
The United Nations considers all Jewish Settlements in the “Occupied Territories” (the land acquired by Israel after the six-day war) to be in violation of international law. The U.S. technically agrees, however, has blocked any international sanctions against Israel. Consequently, Israel continues to build settlements in spite of the United Nations, and the U.S. keeps sending Israel money.
Refugees
In 1948, the Jews succeeded in solving their own refugee problem (through the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 indigenous Palestinians), but in doing so, created a whole new population of refugees. Today, they are defined as those who lost their homes and means of livelihood between June of 1946 and May of 1948. The descendants of the original refugees number approximately five million. Almost one third or 1.5 million “live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem… Socioeconomic conditions in the camps are generally poor, with high population density, cramped living conditions and inadequate basic infrastructure such as roads and sewers… The remaining two thirds of registered Palestine refugees live in and around the cities and towns of the host countries, and in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, often in the environs of official camps. While most of UNRWA’s (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) installations such as schools and health centres are located in the Palestine refugee camps, a number are outside; all of the Agency’s services are available to all registered Palestine refugees, including those who do not live in the camps.” [6]
For example, the Al-Shati Refugee camp in the northern portion of the Gaza Strip has a population of almost 90,000. If we extrapolate its population density to a common measurement, the population equates to over 200,000 per square mile. By comparison, the most densely populated city in the world is Manila, Philippines which has a population of 111,000 per square mile.
As I’m sure you have surmised, the inhabitants of the 58 Refugee camps have been dependent on the charitable support of other nations. In 2013 alone, a total of $1.1 billion was donated to UNRWA, of that figure, $294 million was contributed by the United States. The Palestinians who live in the occupied territories are basically prisoners of the Israeli government.
But, if you are a U.S. politician, don’t get caught using the term “Occupied Territories”. Chris Christie naively made the mistake while giving a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition. He later apologized for his blunder to Sheldon Adelson; previously mentioned as the billionaire Casino Magnate and heavy hitting republican donor. Saying, “…that he misspoke when he referred to the ‘occupied territories.’ And he conveyed that he is an unwavering friend and committed supporter of Israel, and was sorry for any confusion that came across as a result of the misstatement,”
Their borders, roads, ports and airspace all are controlled by Israel; they are only allowed limited civil government; infrastructure is poor; they have no opportunity to engage in international trade; economic opportunities are limited; the Palestinian Authority is extremely restricted by Israel, which makes every effort to block any international recognition.
